The Natural Minor Scale is often referred to simply as the Minor Scale. This scale can sometimes confuse people because it is in a way identical to the Major Scale. The A Minor Scale include exactly the same notes as the C Major Scale which makes them relative keys (read more about this further down the page). See also arpeggios.

Relative keys – Major and Minor

Relative keys have, as said above, the same notes and they can be found for all major and natural minor scales. G Major is relative with E Minor, F Major is relative to D Minor; here are all relative keys listed:

Cb - Abm

Gb - Ebm

Db - Bbm

Ab - Fm

Eb - Cm

Bb - Gm

F - Dm

C - Am

G - Em

D - Bm

A - F#m

E - C#m

B - G#m

F# - D#m

C# - A#m

You don't need to memorize all relative keys, if you want to know the relative minor just go to the sixth degree in the major scale.

Although the notes are the same, there is a difference between two relative keys: the tonic (first tone in the scale) is different and this leads to different sounds. If you play in the A Minor you will get a gloomier and kind of melancholy sound comparable to C Major.